Los Angeles City Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez introduced a resolution Wednesday in support of legislation aimed at preventing federal agencies from using drones to surveil people exercising their constitutional rights.
If approved by the City Council, the resolution would be added the city’s 2025-26 federal legislative program — formally establishing Los Angeles’ support for the House bill known as the “Ban Military Drones Spying on Civilians Act.” Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Los Angeles, introduced the legislation after the Department of Homeland Security deployed a drone over the city during anti-immigration enforcement protests.
“Los Angeles will not stand by while the federal government turns weapons of war against our residents,” Hernandez said in a statement.
“Spying on people engaged in peaceful protest is unconstitutional, dangerous, and a direct attack on democracy. This resolution makes clear that our city supports Congressman Gomez’s leadership to ensure that military drones have no place in our neighborhoods.”
The legislation would prohibit the departments of Homeland Security, Defense, or any other executive agency from using certain military drones for surveillance of people protesting. The bill would also require the president to report annually to Congress on any new or unauthorized use of such aircraft.
“Military-grade drones have no business flying over our cities, and my bill would put an immediate stop to this,” Gomez said in a statement. “People peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights should not have to worry if the government is secretly watching from above. This City Council resolution sends a united message that Los Angeles will not be testing ground for government surveillance.”
Meanwhile, in a separate motion, City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez introduced a motion to prohibit all city employees — civilian and sworn — from taking employment with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security, or any entity engaged in immigration enforcement.
“Ensuring that city employees do not participate in immigration enforcement agency actions is critical to maintaining community trust and ensuring legal compliance with city and state policies,” according to the motion.
The resolution is set to be heard by the council’s Rules, Elections, Intergovernmental Relations Committee, while the motion will be discussed by the Personnel and Hiring Committee.